Sauté onions, peppers, garlic and celery in oil until soft. Stir in oregano and bay leaves and cook for 1 minute. Add water and drained beans and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally. When soup begins to thicken, remove from heat, remove bay leaves and stir in salt and pepper to taste. Using a potato masher or the back of a spoon, mash some of the beans to thicken the soup a bit. Adjust seasoning and serve with rice.

Your neighbors live across the street and the country, across oceans and hemispheres. As millions of God’s children flee war, persecution and poverty, Pope Francis, Caritas Internationalis, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catholic Charities USA, and Catholic Relief Services invite you to share their journey by walking with them in prayer and support.

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Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of theUnited States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas.